This month Ebony decided to put baby wipes Terrence Howard on the cover.
In this little spread we were meant to wonder at his ability to immerse himself in a vast array of interests, from carpentry to science. He took great care to make sure everyone learned exactly how humble he is and his willingness to embrace his fans in all settings. I wonder if he signed in autographs in jail?
Ebony, if you are going to make a point of uplifting a black man, how about you choose one that was not arrested for physically assaulting a woman?
Police and court records show that the Hustle & Flow star, who backtracked last week on initially supportive remarks he made about Brown's situation, was arrested in 2001 in Pennsylvania on suspicion of assaulting his wife, Lori McCommas.
The duo had been estranged for more than two years when Howard, fuming after a contentious phone conversation, broke down the front door of McCommas' house, states a Whitemarsh Police Department report dated Sept. 17, 2001.
Per the report, Howard told McCommas at the end of their argument, "Don't disrespect me by hanging up on me or I'll come over and hurt you." She called 911 and, while she was talking to the dispatcher, Howard arrived and tried to get in.
He "broke the front door down and ran through the screen door in the kitchen. Howard then grabbed the victim's left arm and punched her twice with a closed fist in the left side of the face," the report states.
When confronted by police, he confessed to hitting her, according to the report, which was first obtained by The Smoking Gun.
Howard, who, according to police confessed at the scene to breaking the door and hitting his wife, was booked on suspicion of simple assault, making terroristic threats, harassment and stalking, and disorderly conduct.
He was freed from custody after posting $20,000 bail and pleaded guilty in 2002 to disorderly conduct.
This is not the kind of man that needs to be held up as a role model to anyone. Is it any wonder that when Chris Brown allegedly beat Rihanna there were scores of people asking what she did to deserve a beating? When are we going to decide that black women matter? I am tired of seeing us sacrifice so that black men can get ahead, only to witness black men use patriarchy to discipline women every opportunity they get.
This man decided that it was acceptable to punch a woman twice in the face because his feelings were hurt. What kind of message did this send his daughters and the young women that flock to see him in his films? I don't give a shit that he can use power tools, or install a new kitchen, but I do very much care about the fact that his elevation only reifies the fact that it is acceptable to physically abuse black women when they are deemed unsuitably submissive.
This magazine went to print after baby wipes made his statement in support of Chris Brown; however, the domestic violence incident happened in 2001. When we combine this with his history of sexist commentary directed at women, his elevation to the cover of Ebony is an insult to black women. If you are going to speak on behalf of black people, that should include all black people.
Often when we begin to think about uplifting black people the conversation centres on how to improve the life chances of men. Let's just be honest, we have associated progression with the emulation of white male patriarchy even though this form of social organization is particularly harmful to women. Black women are emotionally, and physically targeted if we even dare to suggest that such that this model is counter to our best interests. Our allegiance to the race is questioned.
We are expected to ignore that even though we both must deal with racism in specifically genderized ways, a black man may still return home at the end of the day and physically abuse his black wife. The social construction of the angry black woman is just as upheld in the black community as it is in the larger society. We are the eternal harridan, thus placing black women at the bottom of the race and class hierarchy.
Whiteness has always been able to offer hierarchy to blind us to the ways in which we are participating in our own marginalization. We do not focus on our issues in a communal fashion, rather black men seek to assert power coercively against black women causing us to achieve negative growth. Demanding that black women ignore the ways in which gender plays a pivotal role in our existence is asking us to choose whether we are more exploited by race or gender; effectively splitting our identities.
When the domestic violence incident became public knowledge instead of making a solid statement of solidarity many asked what Rihanna had done to trigger this kind of rage in Chris Brown. This kind of victim-blaming is only possible in a world wherein we have falsely elevated masculinity. No word that she could utter could possibly legitimize such treatment. If a black man was beaten in this fashion by the police we would be culturally enraged and yet the beating of black woman is subject to question. There is never any excuse for a man to be physically abusive with a woman.
Using brute force to restrain a woman from speaking her mind freely and demanding respect is counter to our freedom. Baby Wipes legitimized his assault on his wife because her words hurt him. WORDS. While I don't want to minimize the pain that emotional abuse can have on a person, this certainly cannot stand as justification for the elevation of the conflict by resorting to physical violence. Unlike his wife, Howard had the option to end the encounter when he felt the situation had become to much for him to handle. Choosing to lash out physically as a result of his pain, symbolized Howard's belief that masculinity is ultimately endowed with the right to lead no matter the cost.
Shame on you, Ebony. This is not a man that we should sing the praises of. He is not a positive example of our community. Black women deserve better than to view a man with a history of violence on the cover of a national magazine portrayed as a hero with the tagline of renaissance man. The rise of black people should not and cannot occur on the backs of black women.
This picture (which I nicked from the lovely Ms. Snarker) fills me with joy. And it's not just because I respect and admire and love both Meryl Streep and Kate Winslet to itty bitty pieces (although I do), but because it is a picture of two women who are colleagues, competitors, and allies, who enjoy one another's company and have a great fondness and regard for each other, and this picture does not try to tell any other story besides that.
It does not try to frame the older Ms. Streep as jealous of the younger Ms. Winslet. It does not try to frame the younger Ms. Winslet as stronger or more beautiful than the older Ms. Streep. It does not try to convey a passing of the torch, or the end of one career, or the beginning of another. It does not imply a mother-daughter relationship. It does not suggest that women cannot be both friends and competitors. It does not suggest that all women, deep down, are threatened by each other, that all kindness among women is phony, that sisterhood is a silly myth.
This picture tells a truth about two women that is rarely told. This picture has no agenda—and it is because so very few pictures of two women do that I love it as much as I do.
(…Even as I am aware it is a picture of two white, Western, wealthy, straight, cisgender, able-bodied, thin, blonde, beautiful women. But it's a start. Teaspoons.)
...of diagnosing people without the benefit of being their doctor (see: Bill Frist and Terri Schiavo), Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY) announced over the weekend that Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who recently had surgery to treat Stage 1 pancreatic cancer, has no longer than nine months to live.
He said this in the process of noting conservatives should be gearing up for a nomination fight and then asked for campaign contributions.
[I'm bringing this to the top of the page for a bit, because a couple people have emailed me about the story, so I suspect the post got missed over the weekend.]
As I was just saying, the media has reacted to an increasing number of powerful women in politics by taking it upon itself to remind those women that success doesn't inoculate them against the demeaning misogyny all women deserve. Check out this full-tilt fuckery currently on the front page of U.S. News & World Report's "Washington Whispers" section:
It's a poll asking readers: "If you had a choice of four daycare centers run separately by Michelle Obama, Sarah Palin, Hillary Clinton, and Nancy Pelosi, which would you choose for your kids?" And it's accompanied by an image featuring bobble-head dolls of all four women.
Via Steve, who says: "I can't imagine what U.S. News was thinking. Would it ever occur to them, even for a moment, to ask who would run the best daycare center: Barack Obama, John McCain, Joe Biden, or John Boehner?" Steve hat-tips Jamison, who notes: "And no, the poll doesn't offer the obvious fifth choice: 'Why the hell would anyone ask this question?'"
So, what did you think? Thumbs-up? Thumbs-down? Did you like Hugh Jackman hosting? Did you agree with the selections? Like the speeches? Hate the speeches? What about those dance numbers? And, most importantly, was Anthony Hopkins drunk?
In the course of composing a blog comment, you may find yourself typing the following words: “I’m sorry, but”; “I’m not trying to _____, but”; "I'm not a _____, but"; or similar constructions. Should this happen, then I have news for you: you are not sorry, you are trying to _____, and we're all pretty sure that you are in fact a _____. The best course of action is to depress the delete key, ever so gently, until no characters remain in the comment box. Then, lurk more.
In short, don't be a butt. The world will much appreciate it. Thanks.
Love and cookies,
Auntie SKM
*P.S. Helpful two-fer: this tip applies equally well to gum-flapping situations in meatspace. Simply press your top and bottom lips together (or stop moving your hands if you're signing) until the urge to complete your comment passes, or until your head explodes, whichever comes first.
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Now, I really must go get the virtual waffles off the virtual griddle.
We're in a different kind of war, you know. One with "unlawful enemy combatants" where if you are picked up on the battlefield, you have no rights to contest your detention. The Obama admin defends this. So you can be locked away forever. Maybe longer. Unless you're not an enemy combatant at all. And you die. Like Diliwar.
This misbegotten War on Terror TM has had more than its share of errors in its conception, its execution, and its endless consequences. If it is inconvenient for the government to address detainees' redress of grievances, let's not dress up what is going on here. It's damned inconvenient when you are locked away forever as an enemy combatant when you are not a combatant at all. The living will complain now, silent. The dead complain not at all.
Happy Birthday to youuuuuuuuuuuuu! Happy Birthday to youuuuuuuuuuuuu! You're our favorite Angry Black Biiii-iiiitch! Happy Birthday to youuuuuuuuuuuuu!
"The gossip outlet, which pays for stories and likely shelled out a fortune for the Rihanna image, last April published the name and photograph of a 14-year-old boy whom TMZ identified as the alleged victim of a sex crime. The child, the site reported, was the son of a celebrity, hence its interest in this particular minor's sexual abuse. ... [The story] was illustrated with a photo of the alleged victim that was taken when he was 10. So if TMZ editor Harvey Levin ... pops up on television to talk about his tortured decision to publish the photo of a domestic violence victim, know that he is full of shit." — The Smoking Gun, on TMZ's history of printing photos of abuse victims.
Gawker put together a nice gallery of what they considered the ten most heinous images by Sean Delonas, the New York Post cartoonist responsible for the "stimulus-writing-monkey-shot-dead" cartoon. But I thought they didn't dig deep enough, so I came up with a list of my own.
So, for the record, here's a (presumably noncomprehensive) noncomprehensive list of groups Delonas hates/considers worthy of mockery: the womenz, the gays, the blacks, the fatties, the handicapped, the oldsters, and the blind. Given that list, I'm thinking Delonas' only audience is, what, angry white male misanthropes with body anxiety and mommy issues? If I was the New York Post, that might have me worried. But instead, they're probably congratulating him for being an "equal opportunity offender."
I saw the below picture on the NYT article about Clinton's trip to Asia. The picture was taken at Ewha Womans University, one of the top schools in Korea and the top women's college. It's the largest women's school in the world and it was meant to be a safe space for women and for their education (see here).
It makes me really happy that Clinton took time on her diplomatic tour to visit and give a talk specifically at Ew-Dae and the photo of her surrounded by female undergrads makes me all blubby. It wasn't that long ago that women were discouraged from attending college in Korea—I don't think any of my aunts were sent to university, and that would have been in the 60s and 70s. This is change I can believe in:
Ewha will confer the title of 'Distinguished Honorary Ewha Fellow'…to recognize Secretary of State Clinton for opening a new era in women's participation in public affairs through her political involvement as a candidate of the Democratic Party for the U.S. presidential election and her faithful service as lawyer, professor, first lady, senator, and Secretary of State that led to her extraordinary contributions to the cause of human rights and the protection of the interests of women, children, and the family.
President Bae Yong Lee said, "Secretary of State Clinton's life and her work reflects the founding spirit of Ewha itself, namely its commitment to the enhancement of women's rights and the realization of human justice," and added that "We are honoring Secretary of State Clinton for the steps she has taken in her life that remind us of the frontier spirit of Ewha, and the university's undying efforts to improve the conditions of women and the nation. This event will inspire and challenge Ewha students to become future leaders."
Secretary of State Clinton generously allocated the time for her visit to Ewha in spite of a very tight schedule in Korea. With more than 2,000 Ewha students participating, this meeting is by far the largest organized event in her current tour of Asian countries. She will address Ewha students on the topic of 'Women's Empowerment' to be followed by an open round of questions and answers.
The student response to Secretary of State Clinton's visit was highly enthusiastic.
I thought this was a nice contrast to Chris !@#$@ Matthews and his bloviating.
I coveted these for a very long time and had quite a wait before I found them new in the box, in my size, and in my price range by way of a reseller. They made me drool the first time I saw them, passionately tickling the fancy of my inner gothgrrl—as badass as they are feminine, every bit as sexy as they look, and way more comfortable than any shoe that gorgeous has a right to be. (Good walking, good standing, and good on ice.)
I've got a new piece up at CifA about how male members of the US media are (ab)using their platforms to remind female politicians of their place:
This week produced a rather stunning trifecta of condescending diminishment, care of rightwing radio host Peter Boyles, the Fox comedy duo of Dennis Miller and Bill O'Reilly, and ye olde misogynist standby, MSNBC's Chris Matthews.
Boyles, a Coloradan radio personality whose show is carried by Clear Channel, was discussing President Obama's signing of the economic recovery bill at a ceremony in Denver, which was attended by Democratic representative Diana DeGette. Boyles repeatedly referred to DeGette (pronounced with a hard G) as "Vagina DeGette" or "Vagina DeJet."
Sure, she may be a member of the United States Congress, but, more importantly, she's a woman – and women aren't anything more than their vaginas, anyway.
[...]
Meanwhile, secretary of state Hillary Clinton was bestowed the coveted Hardball Award by Chris Matthews yesterday... What a good little girl, Matthews seems to say, as he delivers her pat on the head...
Sure, she may have achieved massive career success, come closer than any other woman to winning the American presidency, delivered an iconic speech on women's rights, attained admiration and respect from all over the world, raised a brilliant daughter, and inspired millions of women, but, more importantly, she can still defer to men with exemplary submissive obedience – or what would merely be called "doing your job" if Clinton were an equally powerful man whose ambition wouldn't have been used to miscast him as a voraciously self-interested egomaniac.
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Distinguished Honorary Ewha Fellow
